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But then again, if he did know, how could he blow off a potentially incestuous relationship between his children? There’s no way he’d be so casual about it. A stream of curses vulgar enough to make a sailor blush fires through my mind. Dad won’t be assisting me as I’d hoped. His hands-off approach to parenting was always a little annoying where my younger sisters were concerned, but this is plain maddening. With Livia still living at home, Dad’s leverage over her would be enormously helpful. All I can do now is hope that Nevio returning to the city will limit their interaction, but it’s not a guarantee. I meet my dad’s sad eyes pleadingly. “I get that you’re not worried, but I am, and it would mean a lot to me if you’d help me discourage her from hanging around him.” Dad cups his hands around my upper arms and gives them a gentle squeeze. “Of course, Lulu, if you’re that worried about it. Your mom mentioned wanting to hit Macy’s on Saturday, and I had somewhere I wanted to stop in as well. What if she and I take the girls and spend a weekend in the city? We’ll keep them busy, and you and Gia can have a little time alone. It’s not a permanent solution, but it’s a start.” I fling myself into his arms, relieved to have any help I can get. “Thank you, Daddy.” “Don’t mention it. It’s been ages since I’ve been out of here. It’ll do me some good.” The back door opens, and I pull away to see Mom watching us curiously. “What’s all this about?” “Just hugging my daughter,” Dad answers. “I’m allowed to do that, aren’t I?” “Sure, you are, but you two look suspicious doing it out here in the yard when the sun's hardly up.” “I was telling Luisa that I thought I’d take you and the younger girls into the city this weekend. We can leave after work this evening.” Mom’s face lights up, all her nosy curiosity forgotten. “I’ll get Chiara on the phone and let her know we’re coming!” She dashes inside to call her sister-in-law. Dad and I follow her inside and resume our morning routines, my shoulders already feeling lighter. It’s not a permanent fix, but it’s a start. Between Gia, Dad, Zeno, and myself, surely we can keep them from disaster. While Gia and I walk to Hardwick some thirty minutes later, I tell her about Livia and Nevio. “You think Mom and Dad will be vigilant with her this weekend?” Gia asks. “If he’s in the city, there’s a chance she’ll try to slip away and meet up with him. Dad doesn’t have a great track record of keeping tabs on her, and Mom would cheer her on. If Dad doesn’t know the real reason you’re worried, he won’t be overly strict.” “That’s crossed my mind as well. I’d like to think Dad won’t let her go off on her own, but I’m not certain.” “One of us who knows the truth needs to be near her at all times until her infatuation wears off. I should go with them and make sure nothing happens.” Gia’s offer is a huge relief. I’d been contemplating whether I should go with them but was selfishly reluctant. “Are you sure?” I ask only half-heartedly. “Yeah. We can check in on Grace, and I’m sure Chiara will have plenty for us to do.” “I really appreciate you doing that. When you get back, we can come up with a monitoring system. I don’t think we can trust her an inch.” “Agreed,” Gia sighs. “At least this business has taken my mind off Carter.” She shrugs, and the hopelessness of it hurts my heart. “Maybe you can use the trip to take another shot at talking to him.” I doubt she’ll do it, but I have to suggest it. Gia just smiles placidly and continues walking. “I’m supposed to talk to Z on Sunday,” I continue. “I can enlist his help as well.” She peers at me from the corner of her eye. “You guys talking?” This time, I shrug. “A couple of times. We’re slowly wading through everything.” “If it means anything, I think you’re doing the right thing. I know how much you always adored him growing up and how much it hurt when he pushed you away. It’s about time things got worked out between you.” “Let’s hope it’s a good thing and not more heartbreak waiting to happen. Because if he bails on me again, I might need help disposing of a body.” I raise a brow at her playfully. Gia grins mischievously. “He hurts you again, and I’ll gladly bring the shovel.” OceanofPDF.com Friday night, the house is quiet, and I’m blissfully alone. I thought I would read once everyone left, but I do something unexpected once the house is empty. I get out my idea notebook. I’ve been jotting down book ideas for years, so an extensive collection of story tidbits is scribbled on the pages. I read through each until I come to my notes from nearly a decade before, when I still spent time wondering why Z pushed me away. The change in him had been so abrupt, I’d channeled the trending Twilight books to develop a fanciful theory about what had happened. I hypothesized that he’d been transformed into a vampire and was pushing me away to protect me from himself. It had been a childish escape from the truth, but the story idea suddenly intrigues me and takes on new life now that our story has further unfolded.
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